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This is the travel blog of backpackers Rochssare Neromand-Soma (28) and Morten Hübbe (30) who met at the same university in Germany, where they both studied Literature and Media. They finished school in 2011 and started travelling immediately.

Their journey started with a trip to South America. They planned it as a six-month visit but ended up falling in love with the warm people and the breathtaking beauty of the region. It all started with hitchhiking (which is really common in Argentina and Chile) and enjoyed it so much that they kept travelling until they had discovered the entire continent.

They ended up staying back for over two years, and had by then, hitchhiked more than 50.000 kilometers, mostly with truck drivers. On the way, they met a Frenchman who told them about his hitchhiking adventures in Europe. He went from Paris to Istanbul all in just four days. This impressed the couple enough to decide to hitchhike all the way from Germany to India.

Today, they are in India. And look forward to travel throughout the country before proceeding to their next destination. Read Part-I and II here. You can also follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

India: First impressions

Crossing over to India was an overwhelming feeling. As we walked under the image of Mahatma Gandhi and watched the man behind the counter stamp our passports, we knew we had made it.

After seven months and three weeks, we had completed the first leg of our travel east. After hitchhiking for more than 19,200 kilometres and getting more than 200 lifts, we had finally entered India.

As we reached the city of Amritsar, we immediately felt the extraordinariness of the country. Crowded streets were littered with burning garbage, while donkey carts and cows shambled slowly through the narrow alleys.

People were rushing about their work, all the while giving us heart-warming smiles. On top of all this, there was the incessant noise of honking cars, motorbikes and rikshaws. We could easily spend hours just watching all that was happening around us and not get bored.

India’s streets are no less than a movie. Real, live Bollywood. But within the bustling city, there is a small oasis of peace and quiet. The place we admired the most in Amritsar was the Golden Temple — the holiest place for the Sikh community which became our base and refuge in an ocean of voices, feelings and happenings.

Entering India.

Golden Temple, Amritsar.

Sikhs preparing for food at the Golden Temple, Amritsar.

Dining Hall, Golden Temple, Amritsar.

Although the Golden Temple is a religious place for the Sikhs, it is also a melting pot where everybody is welcome to stay, eat and sleep. There is no segregation of religions. People from all over the world come together and share in the harmony the temple has to offer. The Golden Temple has several dormitories and a huge eating hall.

For Sikhs, it is an honour to serve at least one meal a day in the Golden Temple and you can see dozens of people peeling potatoes, dicing onions and chopping all kinds of vegetables. People can be seen washing the dishes happily. Seeing hundreds of people with different backgrounds come together and enjoy themselves is truly inspiring. Here, you feel that all human conflicts can be resolved.

Of course, being with so many people is a great opportunity to get accustomed to the varied cultures and customs of India. Soon enough, we understood that Indians love to take photos, and even more so if there was a foreign face in their ‘selfies’. Never before were we asked so frequently for a snapshot.

Hippies, hills and hedonism

After Amritsar, we headed towards the hills of Mcleod Ganj. Surrounded by a beautiful forest, the town is the headquarters of the Tibetan government-in-exile. It is the permanent residence of the Dalai Lama and a favourite spot for young foreigners and old hippies in search for some good pot and spirituality.

Laughing monks, McLeod Ganj.

McLeod Ganj is home to one of the biggest Tibetan settlements in the region. Unfortunately, most of the people who visit the town miss out on the actual beauty of the place, and are too busy getting high.

Kashmir — the jewel of India

Our next destination was Srinagar, Kashmir. We hitchhiked to the bustling city all the way through Chamba and its thousand-year-old shikara temples. It took us a while to travel through the rocky, mountainous areas, although the distance was not too long.

The road is dusty, and damaged mostly by multiple landslides. It is crowded with goat herds on their way to summer pastures. Indian drivers do not make the situation any better as they race across the narrow roads, bounded by a steep valley on one side and a high rock on the other.

Everyone tries to overtake other vehicles, disregarding the tight space and oncoming traffic, sometimes making the travel very perilous. On top of all this, a dozen or more drivers honk their horns simultaneously, drumming up the image of Indian city streets.

After eleven exhausting hours of travel across the mountains, we finally reached Kashmir’s picturesque Srinagar. We felt as if we were back in Pakistan. There are a huge number of Muslims in Kashmiri Srinagar. The call to prayer by the Muezzin, people wearing Shalwar Kameez, the bustling street life and the food — all evoked beautiful memories.

Shah Madan Mosque, Srinagar.

Street life, Srinagar.

Street life, Srinagar.

Vendor, Srinagar.

But there is one thing that makes Srinagar stand out from every other place: its famous Dal Lake. Surrounded by hundreds of houseboats introduced by the British around 200 years ago, the water with its glassy surface stretches far into the city.

Shikaras, small gondola-like boats, cross the lake carrying goods and people from one side of the river to the other, or are seen giving excursions to tourists, or used as make-shift shops selling saffron and souvenirs. Many tourists can be seen taking pictures dressed in the traditional Kashmiri attire on the lake.

Shikaras, Dal Lake, Srinagar.

Shikara ride over Dal Lake, Srinagar.

Life on Dal Lake, Srinagar.

Sunset at Dal Lake, Srinagar.

House boats.

We decided to relax for a while by spending a few days in a houseboat on the shore of the scenic lake, enjoying Kashmiri Kahwa — a tasteful yellow tea brewed with saffron — and immersing ourselves in the beauty of its golden sunsets.

Ladakh — welcome to the high mountains

After some days of rest, we started hitchhiking further east towards Leh in Ladakh. On our way to the town, we crossed lush green fields and pastures, rivers, steep gorges and snow-capped mountains. We soon reached Sonamarg — one of the most scenic places we have ever seen. Intense bursts of greens, whites and blues made us feel as if we had stepped right into a fairy tale.

Slowly, the colours faded into browns and greys and we knew we were close to Leh. On an altitude of 3,500 metres, we slowed down a notch. There was not enough oxygen to breath. Life in Leh is slow. The region is strongly affected by Tibetan Buddhism with prayer flags, wheels and impressive Gompas (Buddhist monasteries) spread all over the valley.

Picturesque Sonamarg.

Hitchhiking to Leh.

Leh, Ladakh.

Buddhists in Leh, Ladakh.

Monks can be seen wandering through the narrow alleys. The atmosphere is peaceful and quiet. We spent hours under the mountains, observing the simple Buddhist life. After passing through Christian Europe and the Muslim Middle East, we experienced Buddhism to be the third largest world religion, judging from their presence in the north of India.

The risk of trekking at high altitude

After we felt that we had done enough acclimatisation, we started looking for some active entertainment, and visited the nearby Nubra Valley for which we took the Khardung La — the highest road in India. The Pangong Lake on an altitude of 4,250 metres is probably the highest salt lake on the planet; it was definitely the highest we have ever been to.

Khardung La.

Pangong Lake.

Monk overlooking the valley, Thiksey Monastery, Ladakh.

Thiksey Monastery, Ladakh.

Our final excursion led us to the Markha Valley — one of the most famous trekking sites in Ladakh. For eight days, we were hiking from village to village, enjoying the extraordinary landscape at this high altitude. It is a great feeling to open the flap of your tent early in the morning and see nothing but pure white snow.

Climbing the pass.

Markha Valley.

Markha Valley.

Markha Valley.

But in between, we also experienced unpleasant, sometimes even dangerous situations.

Snow and frost surprised us more than once. Many times, we got lost and had to find our way out. Once, we wandered around without any success with a heavy storm expected. It was nearly dark when we found some shepherds who guided us. Our adventure was cut short after a blizzard kept us locked in for four full days.

— Photos by author

The views expressed by this writer and commenters below do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Dawn Media Group.

Pangong Lake is not entirely in india. Its 134km long and 5km wide lake and its more than 70% in China.

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SinghDec 24, 2015 05:39pm

Except Sonamerg all other places are average to rate. I read the article of same couple when they visited Pakistan. Pakistan was more beautiful in pics than these Indian Pics.

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AtulDec 24, 2015 05:40pm

Brilliant write up and beautiful pictures. Thank you Dawn for publishing their stories. These two guys from Germany are truly incredible.

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dilli walaDec 24, 2015 06:34pm

@Awais Ali 60% my friend, no need to exaggerate.

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SHYAM LAL DADHICHIDec 24, 2015 06:47pm

Thank you dawn for being so objective. Stunning pictures.

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Awais AliDec 24, 2015 06:48pm

@dilli wala Okay its 60% but my point was not on percentage, it was about the ownership of the lake which india always portrayed and own the entire lake. Unfortunately people of subcontinent don't understand the Chinese language so they can't clarify that more than half of the lake is in their country which hardly any India know.

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hariDec 24, 2015 07:04pm

From the nagas to the gujjus and kashmiri's to tamils, you are in for a treat. India has just begun!

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ProustDec 24, 2015 07:06pm

Srinagar - it was as if we were back in Pakistan... says it all. Thank you. The pics are fabulous and the depiction of the place evoke images in the mind.

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avtarDec 24, 2015 07:08pm

There is so much to see in the sub-continent. It is nice for these adventurers to remind us.

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hamadaDec 24, 2015 07:12pm

great job Dawn. wonderful article.

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ROHIT PANDEYDec 24, 2015 07:19pm

The Germans' adventure is just underway.There is an enormous spread of India to be covered, and they will quickly come to recognize that India is one of the most diverse spots on the planet, and somehow, we have learnt to hang together and progress too?:)

you havent even visited kerala my state nick named as Gods own country

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Sam IndianDec 24, 2015 08:36pm

Thanks Dawn for such simple yet enriching articles. I prefer reading this than TOI which feels more like a sleazy magazine of late.

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Satyam VadaDec 24, 2015 08:45pm

Ladakh is beautiful!

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Zia Dec 24, 2015 08:53pm

Kashmir is jewel no doubt buts it's not jewel of india , it's jewel of pakistan snatched by india .

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JayakumarDec 24, 2015 09:26pm

Incredible India . I have never seen such beautiful pictures of India on the TOI. Thanks Dawn

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Karim DadDec 24, 2015 10:59pm

physical features are very similar to Gilgit Baltistan-my abode.Alas we could easily travel across

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R S ChakravartiDec 25, 2015 12:26am

@Hasnain Abbas And connectivity ought to be restored quickly.

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kuttathiDec 25, 2015 12:59am

Thanks Dawn for the beautiful pictures.Please post their remaining travelogue too.They only have covered Panjab and Kashmir.Hope they go to the Eastern states and all the way down South to Kerala and Tamil nadu.India is so diverse in every way.But that is the beauty of it which makes it unique.It is a mini world in itself.Love my country.

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MahanDec 25, 2015 01:12am

@Salim Khan I agree. Every time I read Dawn, my ratings for Dawn go up. I hope that these nice people do not meet the wrong people in India and take a negative impression.

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AhmerDec 25, 2015 04:01am

Wish I can go to India on a long tour but despite having an European passport but born in Pakistan, I wonder if it is wise.

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NaveenDec 25, 2015 04:54am

@Sam Indian All of our Indian sites are tabloids, sleazy. DAWN is 1000 times better.

Beautiful pics and article.

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IrfanDec 25, 2015 06:38am

@Proust yes both India and Pakistan are so similar to the outside world.

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Sameer K. Dec 25, 2015 06:44am

Good coverage. The bigger question is, would an Indian Newspaper ever do anything like this about Pakistan? Highly doubt it.

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JoDec 25, 2015 08:01am

Fabulous pictures. Thank you Dawn and cheers to the two young Germans. Great courage to travel as a couple thru the north of India.

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SatyaDec 25, 2015 08:31am

Great India. A country with 1000 nations, secular, vibrant, multicultural, harmonious. A place that every human desire to be at

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Hanif HunzaiDec 25, 2015 08:47am

Please Share their Pakistan Visit as a link as well

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NavDec 25, 2015 09:22am

Article rightly shows the Indian Kashmir with Buddhist Monks, Sikhs, Hindus and Muslims. Unity in Diversity, that is the Indian J&K for you...

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Bhushan ParimooDec 25, 2015 09:35am

clicked the diversity , rich culutre and beautiful envious convass of our nature, in subcontinent, thanks Dawn to make available fantastic pictures

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brrDec 25, 2015 09:39am

Having hiked around Markha valley and Ladakh, I can clearly state that the Ladhakis are wonderful people, the people are hardworking, the environment is beautiful and peaceful. Ladakh is a must-see for most Indians, and I hope they get around to visiting it.

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Amir ADec 25, 2015 10:34am

Amazing pics.

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indianDec 25, 2015 10:52am

@Zia

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UpwalaDec 25, 2015 11:06am

He has visited just 1% and even less Of India,India is so big that u need Atleast 7 days to Get even the Idea of India's Capital Delhi,leave the entire country of 1.3 Billion

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dr c n dineshDec 25, 2015 11:22am

excellent photography with good write-ups .India has to offer so much and is its strength is its diversity both in the places and the peoples .

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Vivek TiwariDec 25, 2015 12:10pm

That ain't India, its Northern India. And by the way nobody can travel through India in one life. INDIA IS INCREDIBLE!

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ArijitDec 25, 2015 12:16pm

INDIA- The crown of the world.

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R S ChakravartiDec 25, 2015 01:46pm

@Proust Similar scenes of men in skull caps and women in burkhas are seen all over India. The westerners may not be aware of it.

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Vaibhav Dec 25, 2015 01:49pm

@Dawn Great Truely best article @Sameer K .. Friend .. We want to give the same treat ... But the problem is security issue .. When security issue solved .. Indian news paper will do same thing that dawn did !!

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srikanthDec 25, 2015 02:44pm

@Ijaz

Beauty lies in eyes of beholden

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IndianDec 25, 2015 04:07pm

beautiful

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Sarai AlamgirDec 25, 2015 04:49pm

Great Scenery, they should have visited Pakistan as well, especially in this weather. Maybe next time.

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SANJEEV KUMAR YADAVDec 26, 2015 01:25pm

Could have been some better pictures to show the beautiful mountains of great India.

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BilalDec 26, 2015 10:55pm

I wish i could visit Laddakh,hats off to the life that German couple is living,great article

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Saiyada Khadija RizviDec 27, 2015 02:38am

Very interesting travelogue, with vivid descriptions of the locales and the locals their customs and religious rites. Additional photographs to add to the interesting account of their travel.